Protective and decorative valance in an awning for use with permanent building structures

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The subject invention provides an improvement to aluminum awning structures of the type described which produces an aesthetically pleasing and protective valance trim system for use with associate permanent building structures.
In addition, the invention can be readily used in an installed base of aluminum awning structures by a simple retrofitting process.
In that way, the invention is useful in not only newly manufactured products, but in devices already placed in service.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided an all-season awning system with an aesthetically pleasing protective valance for use in connection with associated permanent building structures.
The awning system includes a metal peripheral frame carrying a substantially planar main body portion and a fabric valance member substantially covering the entire front visible surfaces of the peripheral frame.
The peripheral frame includes an elongate header member having first and second ends and is adapted for attachment to the associated permanent building structure.
A first elongate transverse support member has first and second ends, the first end being operatively coupled with the first end of the elongate header member.
A second elongate transverse support member has first and second ends as well, the first end thereof being operatively coupled with the second end of the header member.
Lastly, a lateral support member is operatively coupled between the first and second free ends of the first and second elongate support members thereby forming the peripheral frame.
The lateral support member forms a planar substantially rectangular front face surface having a height and width.
The fabric valance member covers the entire front face height but preferably covers both the front face height and width of the front face surface of the elongate lateral support member.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the first elongate transverse support member forms a planar substantially rectangular first face surface having a height and width